Osun State Denies ₦13bn Payroll Fraud, Blames APC for Spreading False Allegations

Nigeria – Osun State – The Osun State Government has dismissed claims of a ₦13 billion payroll scam, attributing the allegations to political misinformation from the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The controversy centres on a report by Sally Tibbot Limited, which claimed that thousands of “ghost workers” inflated the state’s payroll, resulting in massive financial loss. The government insists a re-verification exercise shows that most of those flagged were legitimate staff.

Government Refutes Fraud Allegations

Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, stated on Friday that more than two-thirds of the workers labelled as “ghosts” were genuine employees with valid identification and documentation.

Governor Ademola Adeleke, he said, remains committed to transparency and supports investigations by anti-corruption agencies, noting that the payroll audit was initiated by his administration to identify any irregularities.

“If any fraud were eventually established, responsibility would lie with the previous administration of Governor Gboyega Oyetola,” the statement read.

Audit Figures Disputed

The government highlighted discrepancies in the consultant’s report, which initially claimed 8,448 active workers were untraceable. A follow-up review confirmed that 8,015 were valid staff, leaving only 433 unaccounted for. Similarly, 5,830 of 6,713 pensioners listed as “ghosts” were verified, reducing questionable cases significantly.

The state also alleged that Sally Tibbot Limited exaggerated figures to inflate its consultancy fees—from an expected ₦2 billion down to about ₦47 million after verification.

Home-Grown Payroll Reforms Underway

Despite the dispute, Osun has implemented a new integrated payroll system aimed at modernising staff management and preventing future discrepancies. The government reaffirmed its readiness to cooperate with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) to investigate any genuine cases of payroll fraud.

Background

The allegations first emerged in January when Sally Tibbot Consulting Limited presented the audit results, claiming widespread payroll fraud within Osun’s civil and public service. The state promptly rejected the figures, citing the need for a comprehensive re-verification.